Split Rock and Enso

This artwork is a projection onto a large rock in Mifuneyama Rakuen. The rock (about 2.4 m in height, 4.7 m in width) has been split by a maple tree.

Enso is the Zen practice of drawing a circle with a single brush stroke. This artwork depicts an enso drawn as Spatial Calligraphy. The brush stroke is suspended in space but the viewpoint changes to reveal the circle enso.

In Zen, enso is a circle that has since ancient times been written with canes or sticks in midair. It is said to represent enlightenment, truth, the entirety of the universe, and equality. The circle also reflects the hearts and minds of those who view it, with its interpretation left to the individual.

Spatial Calligraphy offers a contemporary interpretation of traditional Japanese sho (calligraphy) in an abstract space. The artwork reconstructs Japanese sho in three dimensional space and expresses the depth, speed and power of the brush stroke.